Halo: The Coup
' is a sample of my writing style as well as my first article here. It is a short story focusing on Gtar 'Meuikee, a mighty Sangheili warrior whom remained loyal to the Great Journey, though not necessarily the remaining San Shyuum leaders. Part I UNSC Military Calendar Date: Unknown specification, late 2553. Gtar removed his claws from the mutilated neck of another member of his species. He had been without a weapon for weeks save for a meter-long alloy blade he had employed until it was destroyed two cycles before. The downed Sangheili bore the armor of a separatist warrior; the top of the helmet had the Sangheili racial emblem carved into it and resembled the pride of the Sangheili species. Gtar however felt it stood for only the cowards of his race. "Our people are wrong, and your corpse is evidence to such," Gtar said to the lifeless body which was now surrounded by increasingly purple snow. 'Meuikee then clipped the mouth-shield back over his face, limiting the movement of his mandibles though preventing the harsh, icy wind from bothering his exposed throat. He squatted down and picked up the guard's tall pike and used his knee to snap the rear meter of the polearm to decrease its length and walked away into the wind. Part II Gtar removed his pike from under the belt he wore around his torso and powered it up; doing so quickly heated the blade of it. At the same moment, he glanced back in time to notice two Spectre vehicles darting towards him amidst the blizzard. "Pleased to see you, brothers." "And I to you, Gtar," one of the Sangheili gunners said. This gunner was Hakic 'Totataree, an elite whom had gained a following of two hundred Sangheili. "'Totataree, I didn't expect you here," said Gtar as he gripped his pike in a comfortable manner. "I had planned on sending a High Major in my place, though I had the feeling you might be here." "Well, you have assumed correctly. Might you have a spare weapon? I have nothing but the polearm of a Citad Guard at my disposal." "I am afraid not, Gtar. We haven't seen fresh supply in many cycles." Gtar nodded, "Let us proceed then, commander." 'Totataree replied with a lateral jerk of his head, which was both a sign of confirmaiton and a sign to move out. The other seven Sangheili also proceeded with the two veterans into the Separatists' citadel. The bulkhead door, however, refused to open itself. "Do not worry, Gtar. Our Technician is experienced with Separatist coding. Mala, get to work." "Yes, my commander," the Sangheili in uncolored grey armor replied. He stepped forward and secured his plasma rifle to a clip on his thighplate. He then attached a small device to the hardware of the locked blast door. "One moment..." the technician pressed his way through the decoding process, rapidly pushing buttons before saying, "It is unlocked commander, let us proceed." The lance moved in the structure silently and swiftly, closing the door and locking it with a new encryption key behind them. "None of these scoundrels will escape the punishment," Gtar thought aloud. "I will go down this corridor here," he said as he pointed to an illuminated map of the fort on the wall. "So my men and I will follow the larger hallway. Where will we meet?" "Outside," Gtar said as he walked away into the corridor he had chosen. He pressed a button on his breastplate, which activated both his energy shield and active camouflage. He touched the tip of his pike to the floor of the pathway, which began to sizzle the moment it made contact; he was comfortable assured by the fact that it preserved the ability to achieve deadly temperatures. A moment later, he heared multiple footsteps coming down the pathway: they had alerted the security force. He stood against the wall and remained still to avoid detection, though the patrol he saw was shocking: Thel 'Vadamee and a handful of Sangheili guards bearing armor of Majors. Why would he be in such a base? Gtar thought. He had once been under Thel's command midway through the war against the humans, though he had only heard rumors that he was leading the rebellion since then. Gtar knew that he must kill the Arbiter, not for glory, but to preserve the Covenant, or at least what's left of it. Part III Gtar was still puzzled as he tracked the Arbiter, whom stood at the open blast door leading outside. How did they discover the new encryption? he thought. Nevertheless, he approached them from behind. He was within just a few lengths before one of the guards said in an uncommonly high pitched voice, "Commander, I believe I hear footsteps; allow me to check." "Go on," Thel said to him, "everyone, activate camouflage." He said, and they all became transparent silhouettes save for 'Vadam, whom had completely disappeared. Still, he knew that he had been detected and stood motionless in an indentation in the entrance corridor, allowing the naïve Citad Guard to slip by without noticing. Gtar prepared his modified pike and through it as if it were a throwing ax, impaling Thel in the stomach (there was no track of footprints in the snow leading from where the Arbiter was standing). The Arbiter led out a shriek of pain just as his guard drew two energy swords and pounced Gtar, forcing the latter to evade the continuous swings that came at him. He was slowly pushed back into the building until he attempted to make a move behind the guard though the back of his left foot has painfully scathed. He had made this move just in time as the second guard had returned with a sword of his own. Gtar noticed the first attacking guard's style of fighting before long and kicked one of the swords from his left hand and catching it in mid-air. Before the second guard had completely noticed, Gtar lunged at him and severed his dominant left arm, causing him to shriek in pain too before quickly equipping his own sword once more. Gtar attempted to dodge one of his downward swings but the first guard caught a split second window and stabbed his sword into Gtar's right shoulder and he doubled over in the uncontrollable pain. The guard retrieved his second sword from next to Gtar, who had fallen backward and was now dazed and bleeding quickly; the second rebel guard had run off to seek aid at the same moment. The guard that left said, "you are wrong to continue to believe in the Great Journey after all our species had discovered. I shall end your life along with the other intruders and the Covenant will collapse once more." The guard raised Gtar by the throat and prepared to deal the final blow; he was interrupted when plasma fire from behind caught his attention and the guard turned around and noticed the loyalist lance, though it was too late and he was gunned down. 'Totataree rushed over to Gtar, though he was not far from death. "'Meuikee, you'll be okay," Hakic said. "Do not worry about me, for I have slain the Arbiter. Look to the door." Hearing Gtar's words, 'Totataree looked to the door; a pool of deep violet blood staining the snow outisde was connected by a trail of the same fluid to 'Vadam's body just inside the room; the pike lay somewere in between. "Heavens, you have done well. Do not say a word, I will get you out of here." Aftermath After a full yet worrying recovery, Gtar would serve as co-commander of 'Totataree's growing unit and in 2556 each would gain command of personal capital ships. The rest of their stories will be revealed at a later point and in a separate story.